Professional Documents
Culture Documents
With Time Expressions
With Time Expressions
58
Useful vocabulary
literal translations
minute: minuto week: semana how much: cuánto
“¿Cuánto tiempo hace que…?” and the response “hace __x time__
que…” are used to ask and tell about the duration of events that began in
the past and that are still going on. In other words, describing for how long
certain actions or events have been happening.
If we think about the literal translation of each word in this construction, we are actually asking:
______________________________________________________________________________
But in English, it makes more sense to say:
______________________________________________________________________________
Examples:
o Question: ¿Cuánto tiempo hace que tú participas en la gimnasia?
Literal translation: ____How much time does it make that you participate in gymnastics?______
Examples:
o Sentence: Hace seis años que yo participo en la gimnasia.
Literal translation: ____It makes six years that I participate in gymnastics.___________________
Graphic:
6 years ago today
How we translate: ____Juan and Pilar have been singing in chorus for three weeks.___________
Graphic:
3 weeks ago today
We can use this same basic format to express how long it has been since something has happened. To
do this, we will put ___________ in front of the ____________________________.
Example:
o Sentence: Hace dos meses que yo no voy a un ensayo.
Literal translation: ____It makes two months that I don’t go to a rehearsal.__________________
Graphic:
2 weeks ago today
¡Practiquemos!
A. Complete the following sentences using the present tense conjugation of the verb in
parenthesis. Follow the model.
Modelo: Hace tres días que nosotros ___ensayamos___ (ensayar) con el club de música.
B. Respond to the following questions with the information provided in parenthesis and the
appropriate verb conjugation. Follow the model.
Modelo: ¿Cuánto tiempo hace que tú eres miembro del club de fotografía? (four months)
Hace __cuatro__ __meses__ que yo __soy__ miembro del club de fotografía.
1. ¿Cuánto tiempo hace que Gabriel y Marisol hablan en el salón de chat? (25 minutes)
Hace ___________ ____________ que ellos ________________ en el salón de chat.
2. ¿Cuánto tiempo hace que tú eres mimbro del equipo de natación? (3 years)
Hace ___________ ____________ que yo ________________ miembro del equipo.
4. ¿Cuánto tiempo hace que Uds. participan en las artes marciales? (5 weeks)
Hace ___________ ____________ que nosotros ________________ en las artes marciales.
6. ¿Cuánto tiempo hace que Silvia crea páginas de Web? (10 days)
Hace ___________ ____________ que Silvia ________________ páginas de Web.
C. Write a pregunta (question) that someone may ask you in order to figure out how long you’ve
been doing an activity that you enjoy. Then, give a respuesta (response). Follow the model.
P: __________________________________________________________________
R: __________________________________________________________________
KEY
Useful vocabulary
literal translations
minute: minuto week: semana how much: cuánto
“¿Cuánto tiempo hace que…?” and the response “hace __x time__
que…” are used to ask and tell about the duration of events that began in
the past and that are still going on. In other words, describing for how long
certain actions or events have been happening.
If we think about the literal translation of each word in this construction, we are actually asking:
HOW MUCH TIME DOES IT MAKE THAT SOMEBODY DOES SOMETHING?
______________________________________________________________________________
But in English, it makes more sense to say:
FOR HOW LONG HAS SOMEBODY BEEN DOING SOMETHING?
______________________________________________________________________________
Examples:
o Question: ¿Cuánto tiempo hace que tú participas en la gimnasia?
Literal translation: ____How much time does it make that you participate in gymnastics?______
FOR HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PARTICIPATING IN GYMNASTICS?
How we translate: _______________________________________________________________
How we translate: ____How long have Juan and Pilar been singing in chorus? _______________
Examples:
o Sentence: Hace seis años que yo participo en la gimnasia.
Literal translation: ____It makes six years that I participate in gymnastics.___________________
I HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING IN GYMNASTICS FOR SIX YEARS.
How we translate: _______________________________________________________________
Graphic:
6 years ago today
o Sentence: Hace tres semanas que Juan y Pilar cantan en el coro.
Literal translation:
IT MAKES THREE WEEKS THAT JUAN AND PILAR SING IN CHORUS.
_______________________________________________________________
How we translate: ____Juan and Pilar have been singing in chorus for three weeks.___________
Graphic:
3 weeks ago today
We can use this same basic format to express how long it has been since something has happened. To
NO
do this, we will put ___________ CONJUGATED VERB
in front of the ____________________________.
Example:
o Sentence: Hace dos meses que yo no voy a un ensayo.
Literal translation: ____It makes two months that I don’t go to a rehearsal.__________________
I HAVEN’T GONE TO A REHERSAL IN TWO WEEKS.
How we translate: _______________________________________________________________
Graphic:
2 weeks ago today
¡Practiquemos!
A. Complete the following sentences using the present tense conjugation of the verb in
parenthesis. Follow the model.
Modelo: Hace tres días que nosotros ___ensayamos___ (ensayar) con el club de música.
B. Respond to the following questions with the information provided in parenthesis and the
appropriate verb conjugation. Follow the model.
Modelo: ¿Cuánto tiempo hace que tú eres miembro del club de fotografía? (four months)
Hace __cuatro__ __meses__ que yo __soy__ miembro del club de fotografía.
7. ¿Cuánto tiempo hace que Gabriel y Marisol hablan en el salón de chat? (25 minutes)
HaceVEINTICINCO HABLAN
MINUTOS que ellos ________________
___________ ____________ en el salón de chat.
8. ¿Cuánto tiempo hace que tú eres mimbro del equipo de natación? (3 years)
TRES
Hace ___________ ____________ SOY
AÑOS que yo ________________ miembro del equipo.
C. Write a pregunta (question) that someone may ask you in order to figure out how long you’ve
been doing an activity that you enjoy. Then, give a respuesta (response). Follow the model.
P:
RESPONSES WILL VARY
__________________________________________________________________
R: __________________________________________________________________